Chapter 55: Sandwiches?

After spending a few more minutes to engrave a route through the twisting alleys of the dwarven military district, Kaius reduced the power of his Eagle Eye skill until he no longer felt like a giant was rapping him over his skull. Rubbing at his eyes, he stepped back from the ledge.

“What’d you see?” Porkchop asked, pushing into his side affectionately. Apparently he was feeling less grumpy now that the arrow holes in his back had healed.

“Found our Champion, he’s way off by the entrance to the next tier of the city. Big bastard.” Kaius said, scratching his friend behind the ears while he blinked to clear his eyes. “Plenty more goblins between here and there, looks like we’ll have to go through the alleys. I’ve memorised the route.” He continued, tapping his temple.

“Let me guess. More archers?” Porkchop grumbled.

“That’s why we’re taking the alleys, more cover. You ready to go?” Kaius asked, itchy anticipation thrumming up his legs as he thought about the beefy goblin that was awaiting them by the next set of walls.

“Not yet. Found something. Come look.” Porkchop said, leaving his side to wander over to the other edge of the roof.

“Oh?” Kaius asked curiously, hurrying after his friend. A wooden hatch was recessed into the building’s ceiling, a thick steel ring embedded in one side. A way in. He must have missed it, too focused on killing the archers.

“Let’s take a look then.” Kaius crouched down and heaved on the hatch. It was heavy, made of thick planks of hardwood, but it swung open smoothly on well oiled hinges. A set of stairs ran down into a hall. It was austere, though well lit from a number of embedded crystal light fixtures in the walls.

Kaius took the lead, puffs of dust kicking up with every descending step. The building had lain undisturbed for quite some time, it seemed. Reaching the bottom, Kaius found the hall to be an awkwardly short height. Not enough for him to stoop, but low enough that he could comfortably reach it with an outstretched hand.

Exploring the building, Kaius and Porkchop walked through bunk chambers, abandoned offices, and other common use areas. Each and everyone of them was in perfect condition, like they had been unoccupied and waiting for years. Bed covers were in perfect order, offices had neat stacks of paper on their desks, and common rooms were neatly arranged. It was an eerie experience, like their very presence was intruding. Quiet. Solemn.

They drifted into a natural silence, unwilling to disturb the abandoned building more than they had to. Kaius knew it was most likely another oddity of the Depths, just another strange happenstance amongst innumerable others. Yet, he couldn’t shake the unease he felt. Why would the Depths go through the effort to make the streets seem so chaotic, strewn with dwarven corpses and battle scars, but then leave the building interiors in perfect -if abandoned- condition?

He slowly pushed another door open, peering into the room cautiously. A long wooden bench stretched across the centre of the room. Shelved underneath was a massive and varied collection of pots, pans, and cooking implements. A metal wrack hung above the bench, utensils and knives hanging from hooks.

Kaius stepped into the room, his unease at the building’s atmosphere forgotten.

A row of half a dozen ward-stoves lined one wall opposite the bench, enough realestate to cook for a battalion. Which, if this was a barracks like Kaius assumed, made sense.

“Kaius, over here.” Porkchop said. Kaius looked over to find his friend pushing their nose into a wall to ceiling row of cupboards recessed into the stone, sniffing deeply.

Kaius hurried over, pulling open one of the doors.

“The Depths provides.” He said in wonder.

The cupboard was absolutely stacked with food. Dried meats, flour, trail rations, lard. Even perishables such as bread, eggs, fruit, and cheese. Impossibly, they all looked fresh. Untouched. Like they had just left the market yesterday, with nary a spot of decay or dust in sight.

Porkchop all but lunged forward, rushing towards a box of globular dried fruit.

“Woah.” Kaius said, shoving his hand out to stop Porkchop. “Gimme a second to check something.”

Porkchop gave him a huff, staring longingly at the food before backing off.

Kaius leaned closer. Even leaning heavily on Sense Illusion he felt nothing, the food was really there. Peering at the door frame, he found his answer. A dense line of large runes inscribed around the inside edges of the cabinet. Glowing slightly with a ghostly aura only just visible to his Sense Mana skill.

“Preservation runes, it must be.” He murmured to himself, tracing his fingers along the script. It was an unfamiliar style, angular and blocky, but carrying all the telltale signs of the inscrutable workings of the system. They were supposed to be delicate things, requiring plenty of upkeep to keep functioning. It made absolutely zero sense to him that the combat grade inscriptions of the dwarven armour on the corpses outside had burnt out, but this had not.

Yet another example of the Depths being selective of the accuracy of its constructions. The more time he spent down here, the more its artificiality became burningly obvious.

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“Is it safe?” Porkchop asked impatiently.

Kaius rolled his eyes, quickly swiping some bread, cheese, cured meat, and some sort of jarred pickle. “Yes it’s safe.”

He let out a short laugh as he was forced to jump clear of Porkchop’s charge towards the food. He moved over to the bench, making himself a sandwich, smiling as Porkchop massacred fruit, meat, and eggs with equal violence.

Taking a bite, Kaius couldn’t help but moan. After months of a diet of mostly unsalted meat, the sandwich was nearly enough to make him cry.